View full sizeMaxine Bernstein/The OregonianWilliam Cole McCamman is accused of shooting two people to death in this Southeast Portland home. The two, a mother and son, were Tamara Ann Smith, 54, and Dwayne Smith, 32.

The day before a mother and son were fatally shot at their home in Southeast Portland, they were given a notice to vacate the property because they had failed to honor a court-ordered agreement requiring them to pay more than $1,000 in rent.

The notice of eviction, which was to take effect May 11, remained posted on the front door of the home at Southeast 136th Avenue and Harold Street Monday.

McCamman, who lived at the home with the Smiths and a 19-year-old friend, is accused of fatally shooting Joshua Dwayne Smith, 32, with a handgun, and then grabbing a shotgun and killing Joshua's mother, Tamara Ann Smith, 54.

Tamara Smith was shot while trying to keep McCamman from leaving the house after he shot her son, according to a witness.

Joshua Smith's body was found in the yard of 5505 Southeast 136th Ave., Unit A; his mother's body inside the home. Blood splatter was still visible in the living room.

A resident who lived in an apartment in the basement said he heard yelling and screaming and then gunshots. He said he didn't emerge from the house until police arrived.

Giovanni Jorgensen, the 19-year-old friend of the suspect who also lived in the home, has told investigators that McCamman came to his aid when he was in an argument over a stolen cell phone SIM card.

"That's what instigated it," Jorgensen told The Oregonian Monday.

Court records show that on April 26, Rappold Property Management entered into an agreement with the named tenants, Tamara Smith, Bill Smith, Amy Smith and Josh Smith, which allowed them to avoid eviction if they paid the $1,305.25 they owed in rent by 4:30 p.m. on April 30, and paid monthly rent for May, June and July by the fourth day of each month.

The Smiths, who had lived in the home more than a year, didn't pay the $1,305 by April 30, and the property management company moved to evict them. The notice was issued on Friday, a day before the mother and son were found killed.

Before facing aggravated murder, McCamman's only prior offense was a 2009 criminal trespass conviction, and traffic infractions. He is a graduate of Sam Barlow High School, and was taking classes at Mt. Hood Community College, according to his Facebook page. He also sold knives for Cutco Cutlery. McCamman, who is known as "Cole" to his friends, has also been an avid snowboarder and snowmobiler.

He lists his favorite quotation as this from Frank Outlaw: "Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."

Investigators are also looking into whether drugs played a role in the double homicide. McCamman is due back in court May 15.